Home
by evgrrl09
Summary: <html><head></head>Derek and Penelope lose their way with one another. With a little help from the weather and their three year old, they may just find their way home. Morgan/Garcia twoshot. Written for CeeCee333's birthday!</html>
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**So it was my good friend and beta-reader, CeeCee333's birthday earlier this week, and for her birthday present I wrote her this. I'm using Ingrid Michaelson's "Home" from her most recent album as the basis. Happy (belated) Birthday, CeeCee!**

_Even in the harshest winter I feel so warm_

_Even when the marks climb up the wall I still feel small_

_This is my home_

"What time are you coming over to pick up Regina?" Penelope asked tersely, entering Derek's office with her arms crossed.

Derek looked up from his paperwork that he was scribbling away at and arched a brow. His energy was low, and his patience with his ex-girlfriend was wearing thin. Since they broke up a year ago, they were constantly at each others throats. She hated the amount of hours he worked when the BAU wasn't even out of town, he hated how she decided on going to a relationship counselor without saying a word to him about it.

His two biggest problems with the current state of their relationship, though, were the strain it was putting on their three year old and that he was still as in love with her as he was when they were first together.

"I'm not gonna be done 'til 6," he groused, looking back down at his paperwork. "Then I'm meeting the realtor — some new chick named Savannah — at that café down on Baldwin."

Huffing, Penelope narrowed her eyes at him. "You promised Gina you would spend time with her tonight!" she snapped. "You can meet with some realtor another time to find yourself a new bachelor pad." She growled the last words like she was spitting poison out of her mouth.

Rolling his eyes up to the ceiling, Derek leaned back in his chair and looked up at her with an annoyed expression. "Jesus, Garcia," he grunted, "don't lose your shit over this. Just bring her there, and I'll take her to the apartment after I'm done with this woman. I want to find a place that will be good for Gina, and the only time this woman could meet was tonight."

Penelope sighed. She rubbed her temples tiredly. "Please, just…just spend time with your daughter," she said. "We're working on this thing about us, but just because we're not…_together…_" She paused, and Derek saw as she swallowed hard. His face softened until she finished her sentence. "_…_doesn't mean you should be a stranger to her."

"I'm not a stranger to her," he growled through gritted teeth. "You really think that?"

Penelope looked at him sadly, a hint of pity entering her gaze. "No," she murmured. "But it could happen. That's what scares me. I want her to have a solid relationship with her father. I know that's what you want, too, but that's not going to happen if you keep doing this routine."

They stared at each other for a long moment, neither of them blinking. He couldn't find the words to tell her that she was wrong, that their daughter knew him just fine. There was so much animosity between them that he didn't know if she would even respond to him or his attempt to tell her that.

However, before he could change his mind about opening his mouth, she turned around and started for the door. "I'll bring her by at six thirty."

Then she was gone, the door closed behind her and only the scent of her spicy apple perfume in the air. He inhaled deeply, trying to savor that small bit of her that he still had connection to. Leaning back in his chair, his eyes flicked toward the family photo of the three of them he kept. He was forced to change the frame after they broke up. Reid noticed he was still keeping the picture there after three months of separation, and he didn't want any of the team members knowing he was still hung up on his ex-girlfriend to the point he was keeping pictures of them out even a year later.

After he changed the frame, no one said anything, and he was almost positive they were all believing him.

He sighed. Thank God no one knew what he kept in his desk drawer in a little red velvet box.

XXXXX

"Mama, who is Daddy with right now?" three year old Regina asked, holding Penelope's hand as they walked down the sidewalk towards the café Derek told them to meet him.

Penelope smiled down at her three year old and squeezed her hand. "He's meeting a lady who's going to help him find a new house, angel fish," she said. "Daddy wants to find one with a yard just for you." She winked. "And I think he hinted you'd be getting a very special present soon." Derek told her that he was planning on getting a puppy for Regina. Clooney was getting older, and he wasn't as wily as he used to be.

"I don't want a present," Regina protested, squaring her jaw in the same way Derek did when he got frustrated. She shook her head, her chocolate colored curls bouncing on her shoulders.

"Oh?" Penelope laughed. "I thought you _always_ wanted presents," she teased, leaning down to hoist her daughter up into her arms. She kissed her little cheek, smiling when her very noticeable dimples crossed her face. "So what _do _you want if you don't want a present?"

Regina's face went serious, and for a moment Penelope swore she was looking at Derek. Though Gina had Penelope's physical features, she possessed an eerily perfect replication of Derek's facial expressions and eyebrow movements.

"I want you and Daddy to live _together_," she insisted. "All my friends' parents mommies and daddies live together." She leaned into Penelope's ear and added in a whisper, "And Daddy misses you." Regina spoke like it was the most kept secret in the world.

Penelope's heart stopped for a moment, and she felt the blood drain from her face. She stopped in front of the door to the café. Derek missed her? Was this her usually very perceptive daughter picking up on something that was barely visible, or was this merely a desire to be like other children?

She remembered well the day he found out she went to see a relationship counselor. Even though she still loved him with all her heart, she was desperate to find a way to fix their bond for the sake of not only their daughter, but for themselves as well. However, the moment he found out she went to speak with someone, he shut down. Penelope tried to tell him what she was really doing — trying to find a way to cope with their relationship problems — but to him it was a sign that she didn't believe they could work through it.

The fighting began immediately after he found out. Two months later, she made him leave, and he left gladly. His only concern was their daughter. Penelope was clearly not on his mind when he was pulling out of the driveway after kissing Regina goodbye.

"Mama?"

Regina's voice broke through Penelope's daze. Her face snapped in Regina's direction, and she forced a smile. "Yeah, sweet girl?" she murmured, kissing her daughter's cheek.

Her daughter giggled. "I want hot chocolate," she said. "Daddy is in there, too!"

Nodding, Penelope set Regina down on her feet and took her hand once more. "Okay, sweetheart," she said with a half-hearted laugh. Somehow even her daughter's enthusiasm wasn't doing anything for her; she was still wrapped in the cocoon that Derek always seemed to hold her in when he consumed her thoughts.

They entered the café, hand in hand. Regina dropped her mother's hand to run and press her face to the glass of pastries and treats. Penelope smiled after her.

As she pulled her wallet out to pay, the sound of a very familiar deep laugh filled her ears. Turning around, Penelope looked in the direction where Derek's laugh had come from. Like he said he would be, he was sitting with the realtor who would be helping find him a new home. However, this realtor wasn't what she would have expected; this woman was what Penelope would have expected to see on the cover of Vogue.

The look on Derek's face was one of ease. Penelope used to see it on his face when they were together. There was a relaxed light in his eyes, one she hadn't seen in a long time. Her heart ached at seeing him like that with someone else. She couldn't stop it, the green flash of jealousy that tickled its way up her spine.

After a moment, his gaze was drawn from the realtor by Regina rushing towards him. He rose to his feet and picked their daughter up, a huge smile covering his face as he lifted her off her feet.

"Hey, there's my Baby Doll!" he cooed, kissing her cheek. He set her down on her feet and picked up a small cup from the table. Handing it over, he touched her little cheek and smiled tenderly. "Got you a hot chocolate."

Regina grinned up at him. "Thanks, Daddy!" she said. She turned around to point at her mother. "Mama was gonna buy me one, too…" Grinning wickedly, she batted her tiny eyes. "Does this mean I get _two_?"

Swallowing hard, Penelope finally approached the table and put her hands on Regina's shoulders. "Not a chance, angel girl," she murmured. She stared at Regina's chocolate curls, still trying to gain the courage to look up at the new realtor who Derek seemed to be getting along so well with. Once she had it, she met the other woman's eyes and faked a smile, hoping she looked like a goddamn Cupie doll.

"Hi there," Penelope said stiffly, sticking her hand out, despite it feeling like there was a ton of wet cement weighing her arm down. "Penelope."

The other woman smiled and stuck her own hand out. "Mrs. Morgan, so nice to meet you." She smiled radiantly. "I'm Savannah Hayes. I'll be helping you find you the perfect house."

Penelope, still avoiding eye contact with Derek, shook her head frantically. "Oh, no, no!" she exclaimed. "We're not married. We were never married, just together for a few years. This house he's looking for a bachelor pad." She could have slapped herself for going off with her motor mouth. And the way that the realtor was looking at her told her she completely right about her assumption; Savannah was looking at her like she was crazy.

Derek cleared his throat, and she looked over at him. He was watching her with one arched brow, and Regina on his lap. He didn't say a word.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that actually!" Savannah chirped, eyes flicking back toward Derek. There was a clear hint of hunger in her eyes, and it was clear she was one of those women always on the hunt. And now Derek was in her sights.

Predator had found the prey.

Penelope smiled tightly as the realization of what Savannah was talking about hit her like a kick to the gut. She nodded tightly and crossed her arms over her chest. "Alright, well…" She paused momentarily. Now she felt burning behind her eyes. "I'm going to go," she whispered, pushing the lump in her throat back down as far as it would go. Looking at her daughter, she squatted down as best she could in her hip-hugging pencil skirt.

"Go say goodbye to your mama," Derek said, kissing the top of his daughter's head.

Smiling, she opened her arms up for Regina to rush into. "I love you, sweet girl," she murmured in Regina's ear. "You have a good time with Daddy, okay?"

Regina grinned and gave Penelope an Eskimo kiss. "I love you, too, Mama," she said, returning to sit on Derek's lap.

She rubbed her thumb over Regina's cheek and rose from the ground. Her eyes met Derek's for the second and last time that afternoon. Coughing into her fist, she worked to find her voice again. "Make sure her pair of rain boots is at the apartment. I couldn't find them at home, and it's supposed to be stormy this whole week. I know she's only with you for the three day break, but —"

He cut her off. "I get it," he said, irritated.

Inhaling sharply, she nodded. _Wow, _she thought. _He really wants me gone. It makes sense, though. He wants this realtor. He's looking at her the way he used to look at me. _

"Oh, okay," she said. She turned to Savannah. "Nice…nice to meet." She swallowed hard.

Savannah grinned, her teeth nearly blinding Penelope's vision as if she were missing her glasses. "Oh, it was good to meet you, too." Her eyes flicked back to Derek, and she surveyed him up and down.

With one last lingering look at her daughter, Penelope turned around and started for the door. When she exited the building, her heart tried prompting her to turn around again. Her gut, though, forced her to keep walking. It would only pain her to see her daughter and the man who was still infecting her bloodstream becoming "friendly" with another woman.

As she walked down the sidewalk back towards her car, droplets fell down her cheeks. She was appalled. Wiping her face hurriedly, she wondered why she was crying. She and Derek weren't together anymore. They were coming up on their first year of separation. There was no earthly reason she should be crying.

Moments later, though, she felt droplets on the top of her head. The speed of them increased, and there was a crack of thunder that tore through her ear drums. Looking up, she sighed. Thank God it wasn't tears. The weather was beginning to match her mood, that was all.

Penelope rubbed her forehead and attempted to put everything behind her. She just needed to go home, open a bottle of wine, and solidify the feeling that all she was feeling with regard to Derek was loneliness.

Derek had found himself someone who he'd likely charm and date; maybe she should do the same.

XXXXX

"Daddy?" Regina asked as Derek was plopping down on the couch next to her. Tonight was their movie night, and the screen was lit up with the main menu of _Beauty and the Beast_. Outside the weather was raging. There had been few days of sunshine in the past three weeks. He was wondering if it would continue another week at the rate the storm was raging.

He set the bowl of popcorn on the couch between them and smiled. "Gina?" he quipped back, pressing the play button on the remote.

Regina sat up at looked directly at him, her eyebrows furrowing in the same way his own did. She crossed her arms over her chest impatiently. "Daddy, why don't you ever spend time with Mama?" she asked. "She said you were seeing Ms. Savannah again after you drop me off tomorrow. But I want you to hang out with Mama."

Derek sighed tiredly. He really wasn't interested in talking about Savannah Hayes with his daughter. It was just a casual dating relationship, despite the fact Savannah was throwing out clear hints that she wanted more than that. He just couldn't muster the energy to go on anymore than a few dates. That and he was carrying a ring around in his pocket that was meant for another woman.

"Honey, why do you want me to spend more time with Mama?" he asked, pausing the opening credits on the screen. "Mama and I haven't lived together since you were a lot younger. You can't even remember it."

His daughter rolled her eyes. "But you both keep pictures of each other in your rooms," she said.

He rubbed his forehead. "Baby, I think you're just thinking of something else," he said doubtfully. "I'm pretty sure your mama doesn't have pictures of me around."

"She does so!" Regina exclaimed, looking incredibly astonished her father would dare doubt her. "I've seen it! Mama has a picture of you holding me when I was born. You're smiling and everything!"

Derek stared down at his hands. That may have been true, but he was skeptical it meant anything. Penelope and he screamed and hollered at each other the night he left. They destroyed themselves that night as he slammed his way out the door, only a flicker of doubt that he was doing the right thing in the back of his mind. But as the months of separation passed, he realized he should have listened to that small feeling he'd felt.

He was miserable. He was miserable, and he had no one to turn to about it.

Leaning over, Derek kissed her forehead. "Oh, Baby Doll," he murmured. "I know you want your mama and daddy in the same place, but it isn't gonna happen." He grinned brightly, attempting to lighten the mood. Regina's lips were pouted, and he tweaked her nose. She smiled reluctantly. "But you know what? Both of us will always love you…even if we don't love each other." He said the last part with a heavy heart, weighing him down almost as low as the ring that he'd shoved in his pocket by mistake before picking up his daughter from Penelope's.

Regina frowned. "Do _you_ love Mama?"

Derek was quiet for a long time. The DVD screen was off the opening credits of the movie and onto the blinking screen that appeared only when the movie was paused too long. He _did _love Penelope, always would. He had no idea how to apologize, and if he could find a way, he would do it in a heartbeat.

Problem was, he wasn't all that great at apologizing.

Regina tugged on his sleeve, shaking him out of his daze. He looked down at her and chuckled at her look of expectation. "Yeah," he murmured. "I do lo —"

Before he could finish though, all the lights went out, the room going black with the sound of the thunder crackling in the background.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**So this is the second in the two-parter for CeeCee333's belated birthday present. More Ingrid Michaelson for this one (the song from the last chapter at the end, and another one called "Wonderful Unknown" for the beginning).**

_Here we go, going in alone_

_Into the dark and wonderful unknown_

_Let us go, let us go…_

…_In the best way, you'll be the death of me_

Penelope finished lighting the candles in her living room after the power outage. The room was filled with soft light from tea lights and scented candles alike. She plopped herself down on her living room couch and leaned her head back against the cushions. Her eyes flicked around the room. She was bored beyond belief. The power was out, her daughter was with Derek, and she was had no bottles of wine left.

All she could do was think, and her thoughts weren't something she wanted to be left alone with.

Sighing, Penelope glanced sideways at her coffee table. In front of the lamp were two photos: one of Penelope and Regina taken by JJ, and the other a family photo from when she and Derek were together. She didn't know why she kept it out still. It was just a memory from her past with Derek after all, just like the photo she kept in her room of him holding their newborn daughter. No matter how much Regina tried to convince her Derek was missing her, she simply didn't believe her.

Why was she keeping memories of him around then?

Lifting the photo gingerly from the table, she laid down on her side and stared at it for a moment. They looked so happy in it. What happened that made them fall apart was still a mystery. They were once best friends, but falling in love and getting pregnant — things she once felt were something she wanted with Derek — destroyed them.

Inhaling deeply, she allowed the scent of the vanilla candles to wash over her while she studied her and Derek's faces.

As she observed the photo, a loud rapping on the door alerted her to someone's presence. Sitting up abruptly, she frowned. Who the hell was at her door in this weather?

She rose to her feet, picked up a candle, and padded into the atrium of her house, looking out the small front window on the door. As soon as she saw who it was, she swung the door open frantically and ushered them in.

"Derek!" she cried. Her ex was there, his head and leather jacket soaking wet even though he just walked up the short distance from the driveway to the front door. In his arms was their shivering daughter, her arms wrapped around Derek's neck tightly.

"Mama!" she cried, letting go of Derek and reaching her arms out for Penelope.

Immediately Penelope shoved the candle into Derek's grasp and took her daughter in her arms She kissed Regina's frozen cheek. Narrowing her eyes at Derek, she snapped, "What the hell were you doing driving out in this weather? You could have had a car crash!" She started for the living room, Derek striding along behind her.

"The power went out at our place, too," he explained as he set the candle down on the coffee table and took his jacket off. "Regina got scared and wouldn't calm down until we came over here. She wanted you." He prepared to sit down on the couch on the farthest part away from Penelope. Before he sat though, he saw the photo Penelope was looking at before he showed up at her door. Hastily she released one arm from around Regina and snatched it away from him. She set it face down on the arm of the couch and returned her attention to Regina whose neck was buried against her neck.

She kissed Regina's curly hair. "Did you get scared, Baby?" she murmured gently, rubbing her back.

Regina looked up and nodded. "Yeah," she whimpered. "Daddy and I were going to have a movie night, but the lights went out." She pouted her lip. "I wanted both you _and _Daddy…you _both_ can keep me safe."

A lump formed in Penelope's throat. Movie nights…she and Derek once shared those. Did he share them with Savannah now, as well as Regina?

"Okay, Baby Doll," Penelope whispered past the lump. "We can both do that."

Derek cleared his throat and rose to his feet. "I'm gonna check the kitchen for a water bottle," he said uncomfortably. Penelope didn't respond as he strode from the room.

Lowering her voice conspiratorially, Regina murmured, "Mama, you wanna see something prettiful?"

Arching a brow, Penelope smiled, amused. "Oh? What's _prettiful_ that you want to show me?" she asked.

Regina crawled off her lap and towards Derek's seat where his jacket was slung over the back of the sofa. Digging in the inside pocket, she produced a small velvet box and returned to her mother's lap.

Penelope's eyes went wide, and her mouth dropped open. What in the _hell_ was Derek doing with this?

_No, _she tried to tell herself firmly. _Maybe this isn't what I think it is. Maybe I'm just panicking….for no good reason, of course._

When Regina opened the box though and grinned, Penelope's stomach dropped. It was a beautiful engagement ring, a twinkling diamond in the center that was surrounded by two sapphires.

"What are you two looking at?" Derek asked with a small, accompanying laugh. He tipped his water bottle to his lips and sat down on the couch again.

Regina turned around and showed him the ring that he obviously knew about. "I'm showing Mama the prettiful ring you think I've never seen," she said smugly.

Penelope looked at Derek finally, her eyes wide. He was staring at the ring, his own eyes wide in shock. His eyes met Penelope's for a moment before he averted them once more, embarrassed.

_Good_, she thought, furious. _He should be. What is he thinking, proposing to a woman he's only been dating for three weeks? _Another part of her felt wounded, though. They were together for _years, _and he never even hinted he wanted to marry her. What was so special about Savannah?

"It's so prettify, isn't it, Mama?" Regina said with a grin.

Without breaking her cold gaze with Derek's, Penelope nodded. "Prettiful, indeed," she agreed sarcastically.

XXXXX

After Penelope carried Regina to her bedroom to tuck her in, she returned to the living room with arms crossed. Derek was kneeling in front of the fireplace, stoking the the brand new flames.

"Gee, thanks for asking if you could start a fire," she said with a snippy tone.

He rolled his eyes. "Well if I'm sticking around, I'd like some more light, and I don't wanna be cold." He went back to the couch and sat down, kicking his shoes off.

"Excuse me?" Penelope demanded, going to stand in front of him. "Who told you you were allowed to stay? This is _my _house last I checked, whether you did restoration on it or not."

"Last _I_ checked it was my time with Regina," he snapped. "I brought her over here because she was scared, and she wanted you, but she's a sound sleeper…I could easily take her home to my place without her waking up."

She pointed at him with an accusatory glare. "Screw you!" she snarled.

He smiled wolfishly, but his eyes were challenging her. "You used to do that an awful lot," he snickered.

"I should slap you!" she hissed. "Sometimes I can't believe how we were best friends, much less how we stayed together so long!" She didn't care how venomous she sounded; he thought his realtor was worth marrying, but not her. He could go fuck himself.

A flash of hurt crossed his face, but it disappeared just as quickly. He rose to his feet angrily and pointed at her with just as much anger. "Well, I think the same thing most of the time. The only good thing that came out of our relationship was Gina, that much is obvious."

"Oh, I can only _imagine _how fabulous your relationship with Savannah is going to go." She cackled. "You gonna have another love child with her, or wait 'til Gina is old enough to tell you she wants siblings?"

Derek's face became a thundercloud. "That's none of your damn business. If you really want to know, though, I'm not all that interested in Savannah."

"Oh really? It sure seems like you are. When were you planning on telling me my daughter is about to get a new stepmother?" He opened his mouth to speak, but she thundered on, furious. "And what about the fact it's only been three weeks since you met her? Is this woman somehow the love of your life?" She tapped her chin and snapped her fingers sarcastically. "I seem to remember you telling me the exact same thing at one point."

"Who said anything about me marrying that woman?" he growled. "I've been dating her for _three _weeks. I was with you for years, and _we_ never got married. What makes you think I'd marry a woman who I've been out with three or four times?"

"I'd say the fact you have a ring is a pretty clear indication you're planning on that, you bastard!" Penelope shouted. "Do I look like I'm fucking blind?" Her hands clenched into fists.

Picking up the box, Derek flipped it open and shoved it out so she could see the diamond. "Does this look like a fucking ring I would buy someone like Savannah?" he demanded, just as loud. Pulling the ring out of the box, Derek grabbed her hand and put it on her left hand. Her eyes went wide as he dropped her hand.

It was a perfect fit.

As they regained one another's gaze with red hot, blazing anger, a loud bang sounded as one of the windows blew open, and the sound of the howling wind filled the room. All at once, all the candles blew out, and the small flames in the fireplace died down. Lightning lit up the sky, casting white glows on Penelope and Derek's faces. She covered her mouth and stared at her hand. Shaking her head, she strode over to the window and shut it, locking it up tightly. She placed her palm on the window, breathing deeply. Looking back at Derek's form, she stumbled back over to stand in front of him.

"That ring was for you," he said, running his hand over his head. "I was going to propose to you on Gina's second birthday…but a few days before I could do it, I found out you were seeing that relationship counselor." He scowled. "I decided if you thought it was pointless to talk with me, a marriage wouldn't work for us."

She looked back up at him. She wasn't able to see his face, but she knew he would feel her looking at him. Shock was radiating from her. Clenching her hands into fists, she growled, "Seeing a relationship counselor did not mean I thought we couldn't make it. You jumped to conclusions and shut me out. That's on _you_!"

"How can I trust you if you can't talk to me about our problems?" he hissed.

"You could have trusted me because I love you!" she cried, tears filling her eyes. Stepping closer to him, she shoved a finger into his chest. "This was your fault. You didn't believe me, and you walked out."

He chuckled bitterly. "If I remember correctly, you kicked me out of this house. This is all your fault. I love you, I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and then you throw me out like you don't give a shit about all the years we've been together."

She smacked him across the face, unable to contain the rage any longer. "Don't you dare tell me I didn't give a shit about those years!" she hissed. "Those were the best years of my life, and I miss you everyday. You couldn't handle the fact I went to a counselor, and you shut me out. Not to mention you worked too damn much." She sniffled. "I've always loved you, Derek. It killed me when we broke up, and I haven't been able to get over it yet. It makes me feel weak that I look at you with Savannah and can't even function, but it's how I feel." She wiped her tears and laughed bitterly. "Then again, I'm still pissed as hell at you for not getting it."

Another flash of lightning broke out across the sky and revealed both their faces. Both of them wore looks of disbelief.

Reaching forward, Derek cupped her cheek and stroked her cheekbone with his thumb. "What are you doing?" she asked, voice shaking. His hand tingled against her cheek.

"Kissing the woman I love," he whispered, a hint of anger in his voice. He leaned forward so that his breath was hot against her lips. "If she's okay with it…"

Penelope's heart rate sped up, and her limbs started to shake. Derek's lips were so close to hers, and she wanted so badly to kiss them. "You love me?" she murmured back. "Why am I not believing you?"

"I think you should," he growled.

Penelope's eyes fluttered, her lashes stroking her cheeks. Wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders, she held him tightly. "Prove it to me," she ordered. "Prove to me that you do."

Pulling her closer, Derek placed his lips gently against hers. He coaxed her lips open and their tongues stroked together. But she didn't want the gentleness. She wanted the fire, the passion, the rage. She wanted to feel every ounce of pent up anger and resentment to know if he was feeling everything she herself was feeling.

Breaking their contact, Penelope grabbed his face. "Don't hold anything back," she growled. "You know this isn't what you're really feeling. You're still angry at me, just like I'm still angry at you."

Derek didn't say anything; he merely pulled her back in and did as she demanded. They exchanged fierce kisses, both of them pouring every ounce of anger and pain they felt. She moaned low in her throat as he grasped her breast. She pushed against him the couch so he fell backwards onto the cushions. Straddling his waist, she continued kissing him fiercely.

Pushing upwards, he sat upright and wrapped his arms tightly around her, hugging her to his chest. She removed her lips and rested their foreheads together. "I hope you know I'm still mad at you," she murmured.

"Stand up for me," he whispered, kissing her throat. She arched a brow at him, and he pecked her lips. "Trust me."

With a sigh, Penelope stood up, putting her hands on her hips. "Alright, I'm up now," she said. "What do you —"

She was interrupted by Derek getting to his feet and descending to one knee. He picked up her hand that held the ring, and he kissed her knuckles. Another bolt of lightning lit up the room, and she was able to make out his face as he gazed up at her. He was flashing her his classic grin.

"I wanna marry you, Baby Girl," he said. "I've wanted to marry you for a long time. We're perfect for each other. Always have been."

She looked at him skeptically even though she couldn't see his face, and he couldn't see hers. "After this past year, you really think that's a good idea?"

"We can fix it," he said confidently. "I'm still mad about the counselor, but I love you more than I'm mad at you." He kissed her hand again. "I want to come home, Baby. It's where you are. I want us to be a family…because I love you."

Sniffling, she used her free hand to wipe tears that were slipping from her eyes. "Derek," she murmured. She reached out to touch his cheek. "Get up here." He rose to his feet and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tenderly in his arms. "You'll be the death of me. You know that?" A warm feeling settled into her stomach, and she pulled him down onto the couch with her so she could rest her head against his chest.

He laughed. "Well I'd say you'll be mine, too."

Her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt. "I love you," she said. She smiled as his lips touched the top of her head. Even though she still had a burning anger at him for the way he accused her of not caring, she pushed it away, the same way she knew Derek was. There would be time to focus on that anger later.

"Is that a yes to my question?" Derek asked, amused.

"Cancel all those plans with that realtor lady, and we'll talk," she said. She smiled against his chest. "I'm keeping my ring, though."

Derek kissed her head again. "Fair enough, Baby Girl," he murmured. "I did give it to you, after all." They sat in the dark, silent as they listened to the storm outside. It was starting to dull down so just a gentle falling of rain was heard. They kept their eyes trained on the window as the clear droplets pattered down the glass. A few _booms _of thunder were heard, but gradually the length of time between them grew farther and farther apart.

Penelope wrapped her arm around Derek's waist tighter, never wanting to let him go. "Where do we go from here?" she asked after a long period of their silence. "Somewhere into the unknown, I'm assuming?"

"Maybe," he speculated. His hand massaged her arm, and she closed her eyes, savoring the feeling for a long moment. "We can fix everything. I know we can."

Turning her face, Penelope cupped his cheek and kissed him, the warm feeling setting over her like a blanket of snow over the ground. "Welcome home, Hot Stuff," she murmured.

_I know everything about this place,_

_It wears your face_

_Even when my body blows away,_

_My soul will stay_

_This is my home_


End file.
